Process of and apparatus for treating ores.



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18, 1908.

W. G. PERKINS 8: M. L. RBQUA. PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING 0112s.

( f vwentow wibnaoo e o W. G. PERKINS & M. L. REQUA. PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING ORES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18, 1908. 951,198. Patented Mar.8, 1910. 2 SHEETS-SEEM 2. II 3 25 A I A 6 5] van/tow II II II I III

$5 Hon w 6 WALTER e. PEQRKINSLOF 'SMELTER, NEVADA, AND MARK LAWRENCE REQUA, on em- FRANCISCO, GALIFQRNIA, ASSIGNORS TO PERKINS srn'rnnmo COMPANY, or SAN rnanoisoo, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION or CALIFQRNI-A.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING GEES.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

Application filed August 18, 1908. Serial No. 449,046.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known'that we, WALTER G. PER- Kms, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Smelter, White Pine county, Nevada, and MARK LAWRENCE REQUA, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco,California, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Processes of and Apparatus for Treating Ores, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the treatment of metalliferous ores reparatory tothe smelting process, where waste of the valuable elements of the ore 1s avoided or reduced to a minimum, and the ore put into suitable condition for smelting in a blast furnace. The best known means of accomplishing this important result, is to agglomerate or sinter the ore, which is usually in a finely divided state, by subjecting the same to the action of heat from either solid or aseous burning products, whereby the 'metalhferous elements will become agglomerated, or sintered into a solid mass or'good sized pieces or lumps,

which are then in condition for further treatment, such as smelting as in a blast furnace, without the risk of waste or loss of the valuable elements of the ore.

The principal'object of our invention is to save all the Valuable elements of the ore and to put it in proper condition for smelting and further treatment.

Our invention consists ofthe'method hereinafter described and claimed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an apparatus embodying our invention in which I I Figure l is a vertical section from front torear of said apparatus. Fig. 2 is a similar section of the apparatus as made through lines 22 of Fig. 1.

1 is a holder or receptacle for-receiving the ore, and in which said ore is to be agglomerated or sintered. The inner walls2 of said receptacle preferably incline 'inward as shown. The bottom or bed of the receptacle 1 is pervious 'to an'aeriform agent or perforated, and as shown in the drawing, which is a preferred form, said bottom is formed of.

parallel grate bars 3, which should be placed quite close together (preferably from oneeighth to OHBQURT'EQI of an inch), but per- ,mitting the passage of air, gas, or'similar agents. Extending below the grate bars 3 is a funnel-shaped device 4c, the upper ends of the walls of said device being connected with the lower ends of the walls of there- 7 ceptacle l. The lowersmall end of the funnel 4 opensinto a passageway 5, leading into a tube 6, which leads to an exhaust apparatus, (notshown). lVithin the passageway -5 is a damper 7, preferably of butterflyform, said damper being provided with an ordinary rod 8, and a handle 9 for o crating the damper. The lower small en of the Tunnel 4 is not secured to the tube 6, and it 'is provided with a downwardly extending nozzle, having an oblique upwardly extending-flange 10. The passageway 5 is formed within said nozzle and an upward extension of the tube 6, said extension being provided with upwardly and outwardly extendin flanges 11, contacting with the flangeslO 0 the nozzle.

The above construction is to, ermit the receptacle 1 and the funnel 4 oi from operativerelation with the tube 6. One of the walls of the receptacle lis. hinged, as

being lifted at-12, to a support 13, and the opposite wall '01 said receptacle is provided with an outwardly extending lug 14, which rests upon a support 15 when the funnel 4' and the receptacle l'are in operative relation with the tube 6, as shownin Fig. 1. From the above it. will be seen that receptacle 1 and its funnel .4 may either be in close connection with the tube 6 with the flange 10 of the funnel resting on the flange 11 of the extension of tube6, or said receptacle with its funnel may be swung .out'of such relationahd over the support 13, so that any material that ma be resting upon the bottom or grate bars may be dumped "from said receptacle (as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1).

extending nozzles 28, The pipes 27 aresupwalls of said deflector converging toward ceptacle will swing with it, and all the material that is on the grate bars of said wardly projectin outlet or chimney 32, the

- said hood below the pipes 27.

39 and 29 may ride over the rails across the tops of the receptacles 1 andfrom one to. another without obstruction.

16 and 17 are as and air tubes respectively. These tubes are provided with lateral extensions, 18 and 19 respectively, the passages of which are controlled by cocks 20 and 21, and said tubes 18 and 19 unite in a tube 22, the assage of which is also controlled by coc 23. i

24 is a flexible hose removably connected to the tube 25 by the union 26, and this tube 25 is connected to'a series of horizontal pi Jes. 27. provided with a number of downwardlyported upon rolle'rs29 in any appropriate manner, said rollers resting upon horizontal rails'30, arallel to the top of the receptacle' 1, with the pipes 27 extending over the top of said rece tacle. Inclosing said pipes 27 is a funnel s aped hoodor deflector 31, the

the top, where they terminate in an uppassage from sai chimney beingcontrolled by a damper 33. Thetube 25 passes through andis secured to the hood 31, and the rollers 29 are journaled to the vertical walls 34 of Extending across the top of the receptacle 1 is a r0d35, provided with a number of outwardly extending pins 36, and tothe ends of this rod are secured gears 37, engaging I with pinions 38, which are concentrically secured to rollers 39, journaled in the sup orting frame 40. described device isisituated in front of the hood 31'. The transverse movement of the rod 35 with its rollers 39 moving along the rails 30, will,'throu 'h' the gears 38 and 37, cause the rod 35 an its pins 36 to revolve, and is for the purpose of distributing and leveling the ore that may be supported by the grate bars 3, if said ore extends as high as said pins.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings, we have shown three funnels for one receptacle 1, and where two of said receptacles unite, we have shown the adjacent walls 41 extending not quite to the top of the rails 30. This is so that'a number of receptacles 1 may .be connected together continuously, and so that the rollers The adjacent walls of the tunnels 4 of each receptacle 1 are made integral with each other, as shown in Fig. 2, said adjacent walls meeting at 42. When a receptacle 1 is swung back onits pivot orhinge, all the tunnels 4 of saidrereceptacle will be dumped from the same.

As shown in'Fig. 2, the a ove 43 and 44 are uprights of a supporting frame which supports the apparatus above names described. The tubes 16 and 17 are supported on the upright 43. The support15.

for the lug 14 is in the form of a Trail which rests upon an upright 45, and a rai 30 adjacent to the T-rail 15 is supported on a horizontal brace 46, secured at. one end to the upri ht 43 and with its other'end extending between the uprights 43 and ,44.

48 is an inclined plane extending downwardly from the upright44 and in an outward direction from the same, and supported by said upright 44 and also by an upright 49 beyond the upright 44. Sad inclined plane is longitudinally slotted between the uprights 44 and 49, the slots 50 being of a sullicientv width to permit finely crushed stone and the'unsintered ore to pass through, but not wide enough for the passage of the lumps of sintered ore. Extending upward from the opposite sides or edges of the outer end of the inclined plane 48, are vertical walls 51, the outer portion of the inclined plane and said vertical .wallsforming a chute for delivering any material from the inclined plane 48 that. has not. passed through the slots 50. In order. to insure strength to the inclined plane 48, it is continued inward as at 52, to the. brace 47.

53 is an inclined plane under the slotted portion of the inclined plane 48, leading to a conveyerfor endless belt 54, for receiving horizontal the unsintered portions that have fallen' through to the inclined plane 53, and that have fallen from said plane. This conveyer 54 may convey the .unsintered ore to any point desired,.so that it may be re-introduced into the same or other receptacles 1,

and gothrough the sintermg process again. We have shown-only one portion of said conveyor or belt, and one of the pulleys.

55' around which said belt passes, and a series ofla'zy rollers 56 on which the belt The exhaust apparatus (not shown) is connected to the tube 6, the damper 7 having been previously opened, and theairor other supporter of combustion is drawn downwardly through and between the grate bars through funnels 4 and tube 6, the gas and air being permitted to pass through to the independent and joint tubes, the pipes 27 and nozzles 28, the gasis-ignited at saidnozzles, and the hood 31 carrying said pipes air or other supporter of combustion' through the same, will keep up the burning of the combustible elements after the gas igniter has passed, and until all or nearly all of the ore has become agglomerated or sintered into a solid mass or large lumps or pieces above the layer of stone. If there be no appreciable combustible elementin the ore or concentrates, the flames or jets of the igniter should be kept in a position over the ore or concentrates, or so that they will be subjected to the action of the flames or jets until the ore has become agglomerated or sinte'red.

The damper 33 can be used for retaining the heat and products of combustion within and below the hood 31, or permitting the outflow, or regulating the outflow, of as much heat as is desired. The dampers 7 can also regulate the passage of the air or supporter of combustion, and after as much above any of the tunnels 4, the damper 7 connected with said funnel 4 maybe closed,

so as to shut off the passage of the supporter of'combustion in said passage or fun.- nel. When the ore in a receptacle 1 has become practically sintered, said receptacle is swung over on its hinge 12, as shown in dotted lines'of Fig. 1, and the stone and ore from said receptacle is dumped upon the slotted inclined plane 48. The agglomer ated or sintered-ore and stone will then slide down'said inclined plane and chute 4851, where they can be removed and separated. Under the chute 4c85l we have shown a car 59, said car nesting on-rails 60, so that the stones andsintered ore maybe removed for smelting or other further treatment.

The sintered orwagglomerated product that has passed through the chute 48-51 will be in propercondition for smelting in a blast veyer 54, and be carried to any desired point so that it may be again'subjected to the above operation, or other treatment.

.The subjection of the entire body of the ore to the action of air or other supporter of combustion, and the temporary subjection of the ore to burning products, and the .continuation of the action of the supporter of combustion on the ore will produce the best and most complete results so far known for agglomerating or sintering the ore and putting it into proper condition for smelting in a blast furnace and for further treatment. Alsothe passing of burning products, par- .ticularly gas, over the] surface of the ore,

provides a very simple and practical means forsupplying the necessary heat for the sintering process. Any device that. burns products of combustion, or any gas torch or igniter may be used for passing over the surface of the ore. Also any means maybe used for distributing the ore and levelingit in the receptacle in which it and is to be treated.

We do not limit apparatus or method above described, as

5 many changes may be made therein, or other forms of apparatus employed for carrying out our invention;

\Vhat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The method of agglomerating or sintering metalliferous ores, consisting in causing .a supporter of combustion to pass continu-. I ,ously through a body of the ore, and during combustion as is desired has taken place ing metalliferous ores, consisting 1n drawing a supporter continuously through-a body of the ore, and during such action passing burning products of combustion across the surface of said body.

4-. The method of agglomerating or sintering met-alliferous ores, consisting in drawing a supporter of combustion continuously through a body of the .ore, and during such ourselves to the precise action passing burning gas across the surface of said body. I

5. The method of agglomerating or sintering metalliferous ores, consisting in causlng a' supporter of combustion to pass continu--' ously through a body of the ore, and during. said passage of said supporter of combustion passing burning products over and beyond the surface of said body.

6. The method of agglomerating or sinte ring metalliferous ores, consisting in causing a supporter of combustion to pass continuously through a body-of the ore, and during said passage of said supporter of combus tion passing burning gas over and beyond the surface of said body.

7. The method of agglomerating or sinter-' ing metalliferous ores, consisting indraw-v ing a supporter of combustion continuously through a body of the ore, and during such action passing burning products over and beyond the surface of said bod 8. The method of agglomeratmg or'sintering metalliferous ores, consisting in drawing a supporter of combustion continuously through a body of the ore, andfduring. such actionpassing burning gas over and beyond the surface of said body.

9'. The method of agglomeratin'g or sintering metalliferous ores, consisting in causing a supporter of combustion to pass continuously through a stationary body of the ore, and during said passage of said supporter of combustion applying burning products to ing a supporter of combustion to pass con-' tinuously through a'stationary body of the ore, and during said passage; of said supporter of combustion passing burning products over and beyond the surface of said body. 7 4

12. The method of agglomerating or sintering metalliferous ores, consisting in'causing a supporter of combustion to pass continuously through a stationary body of the ore, and during said. passage of said supporter of combustion passing burning gas 7 over and beyond the surface of said body.

13. The improved method of treating met.- alliferous ores, consisting in causing a supporter of combustion to pass continuously through a body of the or-e,'and during said passage of said supporter of combustion applying burning products to and removing them from the combustible elements in said body, whereby agglomeration or sintering will take place, then separating. the unagg'lomerated or unsintcrcd portions.

names 14. The improved method of treating metalliferous ores, consisting in causing a supporter of combustion to pass contmuously through a bod of the ore, and during said passage of sai supporter of combustion ap- 15. The improved method of treating metalliferous ores, consisting in causing a supporter of combustion to pass through a stationary body of theore, and during said passage of said supporter of combustion, applying burning products to and removing them from the combustible elements in the ore, whereby agglomeration or sintering will take place, then separating the unagglomeratedor unsintered portions.

16. The improved method of treating metalliferous ores, consisting in causing a. supporter of combustion to pass continuously through a body of the ore, and during said passage of said supporter of combustion, passing burning products over and beyond the surface of said body, whereby agglomeration o'r sintering will take place, then separating the unagglomerated or unsintered portions.

17. The improved method of treating metalliferous ores, consisting in causing a'sup-.

porter of combustion to pass through a stationary body of the ore, and during said passage of said supporter of combustion,

passing burning products over and beyond the surface of said body, whereby agglomeration or sintering will take place, then separating the unagglomerated or unsintered portions.

18. The improved method of treating metalliferous ores, consisting in leveling a stationary body of the ore,,causing a supporter of combustion to pass continuously through the same, and during said passage of said supporter of combustion applying burning products to and removin them from the combustible elements in said body, whereby agglomerating or sintcring of the ore Will take place.

19. The improved method of treating metalliferous ores, consisting in leveling a stationary body of the ore, causing'a supporter of combustion to pass continuously through the same, and during said passage of said supporter of combustion passing burning products over and beyond the leveled surface of said body, whereby agglomeration or sintering will take place.

Y 20. The improved method of treating metalliferous ores, consisting in placing upon a support pervious to a supporter of combustion, a layer of stones or similar material, then placing upon said layer a body of said ore, then causing a supporter of combustion to pass through said body of ore, and during said passage of said supporter of combustion temporarily applying burning products to the combustible elements in the ore, whereby agglomeration or sintering of the ore will take place.

21. The improved method of treating metalliferous ores containing combustible elc ments, consisting in placing upon a support pervious to a supporter of combustion, a F

layer of stones or similar material then j placing upon sald layer a body of said ore,

then causing a supporter of combustion to pass through said body of ore, and during said passage of said supporter of combustion passing burning products over the surface of the ore. whereby agglomeration or sintering of the ore Will take lace.

I 1 l l 22. The improved metho of treating metalliferous ores consisting in placing upon a support 'pervious to a supporter of combustion, a layer of stones or similar material, then placing upon said layer a body of said ore, then causing a supporter of combustion to pass through said body of ore, and during said passage of said supporter of combustion passing burning gas over the surface of the ore, whereby agglomeration or sintering of the ore will take place.

In testimony whereof. we have signed our names to thls specification.

WALTER e. PERKINS. MARK LAWRENCE REQUA. Witnesses [0 the signature of Walter G.

v Perkins:

B. L. (QUA1'1.F.,' Cum. 5. CHANDLER. Witnesses to the signature of Mark Law- I leUCG Requa A. BURCH, J. S. \VALLACE. 

